1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to multimedia devices. More specifically, the invention describes an improved hierarchical categorization of media assets and user interface for use in a portable media player.
2. Description of Prior Art
A portable media player stores media assets such as songs and video clips, which can be played on the device. Examples of media players are the iPod from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., the Zen from Creative Technology Ltd, Singapore and the Zune from Microsoft Inc of Redmond, Wash. The portable media players have gained popularity because of its capability to store large number of media assets in a device, which can be put into a user's pocket when one travels.
In order to achieve portability, many portable media players use minimalist displays that allow the user access to the media assets via simple graphical user interfaces. The large number of media assets are organized in a way of automatic hierarchical categorization by metadata as disclosed in a U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,433 to Goodman and Egan (2005). Robbin et al further disclosed a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface in US patent application 2004/0055446. A user, guided progressively by a user interface from the higher order to the lower order, can select a desired media asset.
A media player acquires typically its media assets from a computer with media management applications, such as the iTunes software, which is a product from Apple. In prior art, the portable media players are stored with the media assets transferred from a computer. The management of media database, including selection and purchasing of media assets from an on-line merchandiser, is performed with the use of the computer connected to the internet. The on-line merchandisers have developed methods, such as iTunes from Apple, to display, on a computer display screen, recommended media assets to a user while the user is performing a task related to a specific media item. The recommended media assets are related closely to the item. For example, they may be other albums from the same artist.
A user typically spends more time with portable media players than with computers for multimedia entertainment experiences. It is desirable that the recommended media assets from an on-line merchandiser are stored in the portable media players rather than in much less portable computers. There are two key issues associated with the actions for pushing recommended media assets to a user's portable device. First, a user may not like the practice that an on-line merchandiser to use one's storage capacity in a portable device to help the merchandiser to sell a commercial media product. Second, a user may not prefer to be disturbed by such advertisement type of messages in an already small display for a pocket sized device.
Accordingly, it is a purpose of the present invention to provide an improved hierarchical user interface in a handheld media player, which classifies media assets that an on-line merchandiser intends to sell to the user as hidden files. The files are invisible to the user without the user's intended and persistent interaction with the player.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide an improved hierarchical user interface in a handheld media player, wherein the media assets that an on-line merchandiser intends to sell are organized in a single hierarchical structure as those media assets owned by the user.
It is still a further purpose of the present invention to provide a method to manage effectively a file storage system of a handheld media device. The storage capacity used by storing hidden media files is changed in accordance with the variation of the required capacity by the user.